Communicating is about engaging others and engaging yourself. We propose to our clients to show their ESG commitment and the importance of investing in their actions, to progress on a virtuous path, both ethically and for the attractiveness of their company.
When the climate emergency becomes part of a company’s strategy
To communicate is to engage others and to engage oneself. We propose to our clients to show their ESG commitment and the importance of investing in their actions, to progress on a virtuous path, both ethically and for the attractiveness of their company.
Issues related to the environment and climate change, but also issues of social balance in the world, are motivating more and more companies to take new initiatives. Their objective is to serve the issues related to sustainable development and to carry out concrete and sustainable actions. In order to develop their “raison d’être” and their attractiveness.
Corporate objectives are now required to reflect a commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) impact. It is therefore very important for a company that its objectives and commitments are part of an elaborate ESG strategy.
Once this strategy is established, companies must be able to communicate around them, to highlight their ESG investments and actions: Impact, Inform, Inspire. Ensure a positive impact on the world and make it known, with the aim of inspiring other initiatives and attracting goodwill around the company.
ESG investment, a concept that is over 30 years old
The concept of evaluating companies on social responsibility criteria (CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility) is not new. Indeed, in the 90s, John Elkington, author and expert in corporate responsibility and sustainable development, considered that a company must take into account a criterion called the “3Ps”: People, Planet and Profit, for its success to be sustainable.
Today, the “3Ps” have been replaced by ESG criteria, which make it possible to assess a company’s potential to create value in a sustainable way, while avoiding “greenwashing” operations for marketing purposes only.
ESG is the abbreviation for Environmental, Social and Governance investment. ESG criteria are used to analyze the socially responsible management of companies with respect to their environment and that of their partners, customers, employees, clients, neighbors, etc.
ESG criteria in detail:
- Environmental criteria measure the impact of the company’s activity, directly or indirectly, on the environment. For example, this involves evaluating greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and analyzing waste management.
- Social criteria refer to the way the company acts towards its employees, suppliers, the local community, customers, and all other stakeholders. It also involves knowing whether universal values are respected: labor law, gender parity, access to disabled workers, the right to training, etc.
- The governance criteria are linked to the good behaviour of the company: the way it is managed and controlled, the transparency of the remuneration of the managers, the role of the shareholders, the global structure of the company in question, …
Act and communicate on its ESG commitments to inspire other companies
Large investors, bankers and other asset managers are often singled out for their lack of consideration of environmental and social issues.
The younger generation and activists are calling for more radical and effective financial actions. Many believe that investment in ESG funds is still insufficient and that financial institutions should do much more. Others blame excessive standards, while some financiers expect clarification of rules and measurement tools.
Should we wait for everyone to step up, for regulators, governments and market leaders? Or can we take the initiative, show our concrete actions and change our future?
In order to turn the tables and show good examples of impact investing, Skills Communication accompanies its clients and influencer partners in their ESG actions.
“Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come” – Victor Hugo
Believing that investors need to communicate how their investments are affecting the status quo, we created Sustainable Investment in Action, the Impact Investment Awards. Highlighting the best impact initiatives undertaken by investors is an effective way to lead by example and provide ideas to those seeking paths to engagement.
Communicating is about engaging others and engaging yourself. We propose to our clients to show their ESG commitment and the importance of investing in their actions, to progress on a virtuous path, both ethically and for the attractiveness of their company.
A well-mastered communication allows to progress, to prove one’s commitments in accordance with the company’s culture, but also to attract and retain talents.
Skills Communication acts at the heart of a network of investors, asset managers, media, ESG and impact influencers. We communicate for our clients on these themes and contribute to the development of their strategy in this area.
We benefit from multiple references that allow us to give life to discourses aligned with actions, to create exchanges between committed actors and to participate in international initiatives that we produce such as ESG conferences or Impact Investment Awards.
